A vital link road will remain closed for an extra week after bridge works have overrun.

The B3030 Robinhood Lane and Davis Street road was due to reopen this week but ‘unexpected ground conditions’ have delayed works.

The delay will affect children returning to school by car and public transport.

Contractors inserting steel piles into the embankment of the bridge on the road discovered unexpected ground conditions which made the process more difficult than anticipated.

Councillor Keith Baker, executive member for roads and highways, said: “This is vital work to secure the safety of the bridge and its embankments for the future. It is unfortunate that it has overrun due to unforeseen conditions and I apologise to both residents and drivers who use the B3030 route, but I hope they will appreciate how important this work is.

“The road has to be safe before we open it and we ask people to bear with us for another week.”

The road is due to be reopened by Monday, September 13, with temporary traffic lights controlling single-line traffic.

The final phase of the work will then begin which includes reconstruction of the carriageway and footways, highway drainage and installation of road safety barriers.